• Age: 3 to 6
• Grade: p to 1
• Reading age: 3 to 6

Who Will Adopt That Stripy Little Cat?Mrs. Cosy is trying to find someone to adopt that stripy little cat left at the animal shelter. But nobody wants the little troublemaker.Mrs. Cosy enjoys her job at the Hummingbird Animal Shelter, where she finds homes for stray animals. Alas, nobody but Mrs. Cosy seems to enjoy their latest newcomer, a stripy little cat that looks like trouble. When the little cat refuses to come out from under the couch, she is called Cantankerous; when she runs up and down the drapes or hangs from the screen door, she is called Persnickity. And even though Mrs. Cosy is amused by the cat's antics, nobody wants to adopt a no-good stripy cat that is too wild, too lazy, and too loud. But all is not lost. The stripy little cat has made up his own mind who should adopt him. He has decided to cling to Mrs. Cosy's socks and will not let go. And when she takes him home, Mrs. Cosy discovers that the little cat shadows her every move. But what name will Mrs. Cosy choose? Plucky? Trusty? As hard to shake as gluey paper? Constant as the sea? A comfort sure and true? In the end, there's only one name that fits that stripy cat. Velcro. And it's a name that's sure to stick.

Norene Smiley is the author of That Stripy Cat. In the winter, Norene writes stories, teaches writing, paints big paintings, and dreams of making short films. The Stripy Cat, Perfectly Peppy will be released in 2009. She now lives in the village of Pugwash, Nova Scotia where she and her husband make soup and muffins in the Chatterbox Café.

Norene Smiley's profile page

A folk artist and award-winning illustrator who trained at the Ontario College of Art and Design, Tara Anderson is known for her lively and humorous animal illustrations. Her most recent work includes spot illustrations of a quirky little hamster in Sapphire the Great and the Meaning of Life, and beautiful coloured-pencil illustrations of a boisterous family of rhinos in Rhino Rumpus. Her debut That Stripy Cat was followed with Nat the Cat Can Sleep Like That, which won the 2014 Preschool Reads Award and was nominated for the 2015 SYRCA Shining Willow Award. The antics of Nat and his kitten friend are inspired by the cats who roam her farmhouse in Tweed, Ontario, where she lives with her husband and daughter.

Tara Anderson's profile page

"Anderson's colorful illustrations sweetly capture the cat's antics and the reactions of the humans to her as well as her determination to stick like glue to Mrs. Cosy. The story's pacing and easy-to-read text against the crisp white background make for a great read-aloud. It is hard to imagine this cat being left on the shelf. Totally engaging."

-- School Library Journal

". . . Small children, read this story, will purr in all the right places, too, and Tara Anderson's bright paintings raise the pleasure quotient."
-- The Globe and Mail

"Tara Anderson's exuberant acrylics (with drawn elements) provide straightforward illustration for the narrative. The illustrations don't aim to provide any additional narrative elements or re-interpretations of the text, but there are charming and creative touches - like Mrs. Cosy's cat-themed pajamas. . . Overall, the stripy cat is portrayed with great affection and energy both in the text and illustration. This book will certainly work as a storytime read-aloud for the three to five crowd, especially for those obsessed with animals. . . There are strong threads of hope and acceptance that run through this book which make it a good candidate for comforting any child who often breaks the rules but still wants to know s/he is are lovable and loved.
Recommended."
-- CM Magazine

"Halifax's Smiley has written a sweet tale of acceptance and love in her first picture book. As project co-ordinator of the Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award, Smiley has seen enough quality children's literature to know what stories children will enjoy. That Stripy Cat, with its charming illustrations by Ontario's Tara Anderson, is one such tale."
-- The Chronicle Herald (Halifax)

"The illustrations by Toronto's Tara Anderson capture Stripy's quirky character."
-- The Waterloo Record